Well tool



l NV. '4, 1930.. s, HAMER ET AL WELL TOOL Filed Dec.' 5, 1928 Il l i Patented Nov; ik

' mms AND Josrarrrfre mower-Ace @411mm fifi' n `;,WELL TOOL? n it .f`Animationimeaneaeniter.3,fiszsgsriai11093234@if-f-y-y i i 'i is .This inventionhas'to dcr-with a' Welltoo',1v`

andrelatesmoreparticularly to a shingtool yor` guide suital'ile for nsevvitli. V an overshotf n or other such device, it is a.. generaly ,ob-`

'l5l ject of the invention to-provide a guidelfor `use in connectionwithaiishing toolvvhich f: c a'n beexpanded inI the Wellbore to facili,-

tate directingthefshvinto v.thejlishing tooli 'p andfis collapsible .so thatitcanjy be readily oixvithclrawnzfroni thevvell bore. I Y In the drilling oiideep Wel1sior instance i oil Wells, parts or toolsare frequentlybrolren yoff-or lost in the'fgwelli lThe piece, `or lbroken off part leftin ya well, is terniedy theffish47` p andtis ordinarily.removedby meansof spe-L ciallyv 'designed tools known as kfishing `ltools.

One'of the most cornnion andfrequentlyused` fornitof iishingtool is the overshot, thisbe'ing a device designed to `be lovvered over theiish to engage or grip the ishg. There are variousy fornisfof vovershots and toolsjoit` similar chanV acter, a ymost common forni being the one in whichthefovershothas a tubular body part with a. plurality of upwardly landinwardly v2li projecting spring fingers tofengage over projection or shculdery ofthe" irish to estalo-y lishthe desired 'gripper engagement with ythe fish.

l* u In removing a fish-ironia wellifor instance i] 3'0' in rernovinga length of drillfpipe74 or'the like, lbroken 4,o in a `,Welhfgdiiiyculty isl often exfperienced .inflovvering'` the fishing tool; :ion` eXainpl'ethe overshot, lso that itengages lover Y the .upper'endof thefish.; In'manylcases thev 'k upper end ol'ftheiish occurs in a portionofv the lWell bore that is fairly large in diameter andthe'end of the fish is Vagainst one 'vvall'oil the bore sothat the fishing tool upon vbeing lowered yto yei'igagellt-,he fish passes dovnvto one 0l side of it instead of over it. y It is commonpracticelo apply what is vknoWnjasy a bowl, for instance an oversiiot Y bowl, at the lower endlofla iishingfltool, or overshot,"for` `thepurposev of guidingorfdi-y recting the upper end ofthe ishi'nto the flsh' ling tool. Itis desirableto kapply.any-overshoti bowl of maximum dia'meter and practice this resultsinthe fishinglstring get'ingsltuck t n 4inthejhole,before:itfpreaches the fishi is`l A 'thn necessaryto remove the fishing `string f drawingsy in which: t

and applyd a smallerhowl whichf mayfV not be eii'ective in guiding vthe fish into the loovvl.'E

".Phis invention has to do, generally, with a i device operable to. gnide afish into aiishing tool; say, for instance,` into an overshot,

and it is ja general object of the inventionto provide lan ezqoansible guide operablev to ex? pand 'or enlarge in the-vvell'bore to eii'ectively x engage a fishz'that` would.'otherwise not be engaged byV an ordinary guide'bowl,l 65;. l v

-A`l further :object of. :they invention is to provide' alguide device: of 'the character 'men.

tioned which will ,collapseas'it tis being drawn out of a Well sothat' it will notbecorne fst-nek:y 4 in a restrictedpartofthe well throughwhich it may hawertojpass.` n l It isa further object of thepresent inven tion toprovi'de a'guide deviceiof the character rmentioned vvliiclris under` controlofff the operator-so thatitjcan be expanded afterv 7` being'lovvered tothedesired point the Well.y

The presenty invention provides a device j that can beloWered-into thevveell Whenfin collapsed or contractedfposition and' can thereafter-tbe expandedrnaking it possible 75 lte,op'eratethe tool .througha small bore Vor casing,'orrestrictedgpart of a ,bore or e' i casing; and yet. expanditjto eiiectively ene gage-a fish; p

provide various irnproved 4features o'con-y struction and arrangernen t,ofparts 1n; aV

device of f the general charac-ter mentioned. l

" device expanded Voriin operating position bef ing the position itassuniesafter it has been? tripped for operation. .'Fig.y 3 is a,transversey sectionalwview taken asindicated 'line A 3 3 on Fig.- 11. Fig. 4 is a transverse sec-10V of' spring fingers.

tional view taken as indicated by linev 4 4 on Fig. 2, and Fig.l 5 is a transverse sectional View taken as indicated by line 5-5 y on Fig. 2.v

The construction provided by the present invention may be applied to or embodied in various fishing tools, the invention being primarily in the nature offa guidevfory operation with a fishing tool. rIhe invention is particularly applicable to fishing tools such as overshots and therefore we will de:` scribe' the invention with reference to an overshot it being understood that suoli reference is not to be considered as limiting the scope or range of application of 'the invention.

Further, inthe drawings and in the folj` lowing description we disclosea simple and commonly usedrform of overshot in which the fish engaging parts are in the nature' Itis to be understood that the overshot or fishing ltool used'in con-l nection with the inventioninay be .of any desired type or construction and need not be the ordinary spring finger type oftoolhere-V in set forth.' 5

The tool provided by this invention includes, generally, a tubular body 10, Van ex-V pansible head 11 carried by the body, means 12 vfor expanding the head,vmeans 13 nor-A mally yieldingly urging the head to the exi anded position, and means V11 for releasably holdingthe head in an unactuated orY collapsed position; The body 10 a central longitudinal tubular part forming a inount.l

ing Aor carrier for the various other partsl Y of the tool. In the preferred arrangement the tubular body also carries the fish enmeans 12 and 13, as will be hereinafter de-Ay scribed.' When the overshot or fishing tool is directly carried by the body" 10 the body may be formed in sections between which the overshot may be inserted, as illustrated in the drawings. In the drawings Iv have lshown the fishing tool or overshot as comprising a tubular part 16 carried between upper and lower sections of the body 10, and

a plurality of spring fingers 17 extending upwardly and inwardly from the'part 16 inthe manner common to overshots. The tubular part 16, being attached directly in the 'body 10, forms or becomes a part of the body 10. i Y

The head 11 is an expansible device carried on the lower end of the'body 10. The` head is designed to function or act as an overshot bowl and therefore has a downwardly facing or opening mouth 18 at or'im'-,

Y insofisa niediately below the lower end-of the body 10.1designed to guide or direct a fish, or the like, into the body. In the preferred construction the opening or mouth 18 in the lower end of the bowl is an upwardly converging opening proportioned so that it will effectively direct or guide` an object into the body. j v

In accordance with the present invention the bowl is expansible, that is capable of being enlarged or expanded in` diameter. In thepref'erred' construction the bowl, which is considered as a whole, is a tubular part longitudinally divided into a plurality of .segmental sections a's'illustrated in the drawings. The lines of division between ythc sections oftheV head extendl radially with' ret'- erence to the central axis ofthe vheador of the'tool, allowing the sections'to be movable radially between positions r such as are illustrated'in'the'drawings; i

The head is mountedorsecuredon'the body l0- through` the means 12 about Vto be described and also through inwardly extending projections 2O on the upper ends of the wedge head sections. The projections 20 cooperate with one ormore rings carried on the body 10. In the case illustrated the projections 2()V are provided at their inner ends with upwardly extending flanges 21 cooperating with anl upperring 22, and' are provided with corresponding downwardly' extending yprojections 23 cooperating with a lowerqring2l. `T he ring 22 is'slidably carried on the body 10 immediately abovetheiilanges 21 and has a downwardly extending peripheral flange 25 which overhangs the flanges 21 to limit outward'movement'- ofk the head sections. In a similar manner the ring 24 is slidably carried Y on the body 10 and is provided with an upwardly extending peripheral flange 26which `overhangsthe flanges or projections 23 to cooperate with the flanges 23 in limiting outward movement of the head sections.

The meansr 12 provided for expanding the head is preferablyiin the form of a wedgev means.Y In Vthe drawings' weillustrate the ineans'12 as including aplurality of upwardly and outwardly extending wedge faces 30 on theexterior of thelower endl portion of the body 10 to slidably carry'the sections of the head 11. `The sections of the head are preferably secured to the wedge facesto have the desired longitudinal movement thereon For instance, each wedge faceBOsmay be provided with av longitudinally disposed dovetailed projection 31 fitting a corresponding groove in the wedge sectionsupported on the face. It is to ,be` understood, of course, that each wedge section is formed so that its inner wall or face 33 extends upwardly and outwardly froinrthermouth opening 18 ofthe head. The sections of the head therefore cooperate with the wedge faces 30 of the means 12 so that the head expanded or enlarged in diameter metas@ i as it is .moved yinwardly on the means-11,01 relative to thebody 10, from the collapsed 'pof ysitgion illustrated inyFg- 1- They means-13 vprovided for normally Ayieldyrlglyy urginothe head tothe expanded posi.-

t1.0n..is preferably a spring means,ffor instance it may include a helical spring40 surrounding orcarriedV .onthe body be,-

- tween the lower ring 24 and the shoulder 41 formed where the upper ends of the upwardly and outwardly extending wedgefaces 30 terminate..A The spring 41. is arranged be-y tween these parts sothat it is Anormally,under compression and therefore tends to urge the ring .24 upwardly. The ring bears upwardly on the projections of the .head sections and therefore tends to movethe head sections upwardly on the means 12..

` Thewr'rieans 14 .for releasably holding they head inail unactuated or collapsed position Y may be constructed in various ways, it being preferred to provide a construction which can be released by luid'pressnre applied to the interior 0f the body 10 through the string of drill pipe to whichr the .tool'is connected..

In. the form of the-:invention illustrated. the

means 14 includes one or more rods 45 for.v holding the head in vthe down position with' reference .to the means 12, a latch 46. in conne'ction with each rod, and a hydraulically Operated device 47 for releasingtthe latches 46. In thearrangement shown we preferably providea plurality ofi-ods arranged longitudinally. at the exterior of the body .10.. '9 .5 The rods y45 are shownslidably carried in guideways 4:8 on the exterior ofthev body.

Thelguideways and rods extend from the lower end portionV ofthe body to the upper yend of the tool or body itbeing preferred to locatehthe latches 4.6`vand hydraulically actuated lmember 47 at a point well above the overshot lingers or lishing toolV so that a substantial part of the iish may be allowed to. extend into the tool, as is sometimes necessary.

@The lower endsof the vrodsj45 cooperate with 'thel ring 22 and when the lrods are .in the down position they operate to hold the ring 22 whereitholds` the head .sections down; -The upper ends of the'rods 45 cooperate with the latches 46 which are slidably carried in openingsformed through the wall ofthe body'so that the outer end portions of the latches are atv the exterior portion vof .the body and the inner uend portions of the latches are at the d interior of the body. The outer end portions of the latches 46 operate to hold the rods 45j down whentheilatches are Vin the in posiand` slidably pass the'rods when the latches tionas shown in F ig. 1, and are provided with openings52 which register with the rods 45 are moved t0 the out position as shown in Fig- 2.. The openings 52 areformed so that the" 'rods 45 extend upwardly through the lautes ellswinethe reds t@ more` upwardly so that' the spring 140operates the head `to the expandedposition asshown in Fig. 2. -v

vSprings S4-are provided in connectionwith ulatthes 46to normally yieldingly hold them in the positions shown yinfliig 1. The hy drau'` lic-ally actua-tedpart 47 is in the form of a plungerslidab'ly carried in the body 10 at the latches 46,-to be-moved downwardly in the body-by luidpressureintroduced into theV upper end of the body; The-member47 hcs guideways 55 into which the inner yend portions `lof the latches eXtend, and the guidewaysv have bevelled yor'upwardl'y andfsou-t.

wardly inclined bottoms 56 which operate to Inovethe latches 46 outwardly against the re-v sistance' of ther springs 54' when the member 47 is forced downwardly vin the body 10 by fluid pressure from above; .It lwill be obvious from the foregoing 'description thatvthe inventioncan be ,carried out with a single rod 45 and cooperating-latch46. In'praticeit is desirablev toprovide a plurality yof rods and ,cooperating 'latches yarranged symmetrically throughout the drawings. q f u p It isdesirableto provide for circulation around the central'axis ofthe tool, as shown downwardly throughthe tool whenthe tool.

is .being operated to engage atish or after, the fish hasbeenengaged. In theform ofthe v invention*illustrated@ Circulation openingv60 isV formed longitudinally through the membery y 47 and; anvalve Y6l is arranged to normally check `downwardflowjof fluid through the opening-60. Thevalve 6lfoperates in a cage 62 projecting upwardly .from the member 47, as clearly shown in Figs/1 and 2 of the.

drawings. In Iorder that the valve 61 may bek opened when the. deviceis operated or in expanded position'as sho-wn in Fig. 2,*I pro-v vide a valvelifting rod .65 .inthe body 10 to engage under the valve and lift it to the open position, as shown'in Fig. 2, when the parts are operated as shownin that ligure..L

The'valvelifting rod l65 projects upwardly from a plate `66.mountedinthe body 1Q. The plate is provided with a plurality of openings to pass circulating fluid. The parts are proportioned so that the valve 61 remains seated until the member. 47 has moved .downwardly to releasethe rods 45'and is thereafter opened to allow kfor circulation throughthe'body.

InV the prefered form of the invention a housing is'lprovidedaround the outer endv portions of the latches to protect them, and

the lower.. ends 71 of the rod guides 48 are lo# catedto act as vstops for `limiting upward.

tooly to freely enter the well bore and pass thPQUh a .Gengior any` frestreted v part 0f so that the wedge sections of the head move outwardly thus expanding the head to a position such as is shown in Fig. 2. With the head thus expanded, the tool is operated to engage ,Y the fish so that the fish enters the mouth opening 18 of the head and is directed into the body 10.v lVhen the tool has been manipulated so that'the fish is engaged by the overshot fingers or other fishing tool'rprovided byV the present construction, the tool is withdrawn from the well bore. As the tool is passing upwardly in the well bore, any restriction or obstruction that interferes with the upward passage of the head operates to force the head downwardly with reference to the means 12 so that the head sections are retracted allowing the device `to pass such restriction o-rfobstruction. It will thus be apparent that the invention provides a construction which is safe to operateas it will automatically collapse or retract, if necessary, as it is being withdrawn from the well. l

i Having described only a typical preferred form and application of the invention, we do not wish to limit ourselves to the specific details set forth,'but wish to reserve to ourselves any changes or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art or fall within the scope of the following claims:

Having described our invention, we claim: 1. A well-tool of the character described including, a body, an expansible head to guide an object into the body, means carried by the body for releasably holding the head in an unexpanded position, and means for yieldingly holding the head in expanded position. Y n

2. A vwell tool of the character described including, a body, an expansible head to guide an object into the body, hydraulically controlled means for releasably holding the head in an unexpanded position, and means for yieldingly holding the head in expanded position. y Y

SQA well tool of thecharacter described i1icluding,va body, an expansible head to guide an object into the body, and means for yieldingly holding the head in expanded position including a spring surrounding the body.

4. A well tool of the character described ineludinUr a body, an expansible head carried on the lower end portion of the body to guide an object into the body, and ar spring arranged around the body and within-'the head normally tending to operate the head for expansion. Y

5. A well tool of the character described including, a body, an expansible head carried o-n the lower end portion of the body to guide an object into the body, a ring around the body holding` the upper portion of the head, and a spring arranged around the body and within the head normally tendingto operate the head for expansion. i

6. A well tool of the character described icluding, a body, an expansible head to guide an object into the body, means whereby the head is expanded by movement relative to the body, a spring tending to move the head relative to the body, and means for releasably holding the head against movement relative to the body. Y

7. A well tool of the character described 'including a body, an expansible head 'to guide an object into the body, means whereby the head is expanded by movement of the head longitudinally relative to the body, and a spring tending to movethe head relative to thebody. I

` 8..A well tool of the character described including a body, an expansible head, wedge means Awhereby the head is expanded by movement relative to the body, and a spring tending to move the head relative to the body.

9. A well tool of the character described including, a body, an expansible head, means whereby the head is expanded by movement relative to the body, a spring tending to move the head relative to the body, and means for releasably holding the head against movement relative'to the body including a latch and hydraulic actuating means for the latch.

10. A well tool of vthe character described including, a. body, an expansible head to guide an object into the body, means whereby the head is'expanded by movement relative to the body, a spring tending to move the head relative to the body, and latch means for releasably holding the head against movement relative to the body.

11i A well tool of the character described including, a body, an expansible head, means whereby the head is expanded by movement relative to the body, a spring tending to move the head relative to the body, and means for releasably holding the head against movement relative to the body including a latch and hydraulic actuating means for the latch, the hydraulic means including a member in the body to be actuated by pressure inthe body.

12. A well tool of the character described including, a body, an expansible head, means whereby the head is expanded by movement relative to the body, a spring tending to move the head relative to the body, and means for releasably holding the head against movement relative to the'body including a latch and hydraulic actuating means for the latch, n l

the hydraulic means'including a memberin the body to be actuated by pressure in the body, the member having a valve controlled opening automatically opened upon 'said member being operated.

o 13. A Well tool of the character described o 'v including a body, an expansible head, means y ,y

" whereby the head is expanded by Vmovement relativelto the body, a springl tending to move the head relative to the body, and means for releasably holding the head against movef ment relative to the body including a latch and hydraulic actuating means for the latch,

thehydraulicmeans including a member inthe upper portion of the body to be actuated by the pressure in the body;

i In Witness that We claim the foregoing We 

